DEKALB, Ill. – A goal from Catherine Cline in the 70th minute proved to be the difference as the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team fell, 1-0, to Loyola Chicago on Thursday night (Sept. 10) at the NIU Soccer Complex.
"Slow first half, we didn't come out quick enough and we were quite defensive in our approach," said NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill. "We needed our subs to lift us, and our goalkeeper kept us in the game. There were improvements in the second half, but it was frustrating to concede from a corner kick. It was a tough night, and we just have to learn and grow from the moment."
The Huskies and Ramblers combined for just one shot on target in the opening half and it came early in the contest as a shot from Loyola's Addison Schaffer from just outside the "D" at the top of the box forced NIU goalkeeper
Alexandra Devory (Ruckersville, Va./William Monroe) into an excellent save diving to her right.
Loyola (3-2-2) earned seven first half corner kicks and had two-thirds of the possession in the opening 45 minutes but were unable to unlock the NIU defense.
In the 55th minute, the visitors nearly opened the scoring as Maggie Schmidt cut side from the right near the top of the box and fired a shot off the crossbar. The rebound fell to the head of Schaffer, but she was unable to redirect it on target.
Loyola went in front from a corner 15 minutes later. The ball from the corner ping-ponged near the six-yard box before coming off a Huskie defender and falling to the feet of Cline who smashed home a shot from close range to put the Ramblers in front.
NIU (1-3-2) nearly found an equalizer in the 78th minute.
Monica Correa (Des Plaines, Ill./Saint Viator) played a low cross from near the endline into the box where it found
Abby Foulk (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) all alone about 16 yards from box. Her side-footed effort beat Loyola goalkeeper Allison Deardoff but came back off the underside of the crossbar to prevent the tying goal for the hosts.
The Huskies will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 19, when they host Green Bay in the Horizon League opener. Kickoff against the Phoenix is slated for 1 p.m. at the NIU Soccer Complex and admission is free of charge.
